Bi Pc 42

42. Āsandiparibhuñjanasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhuniyo āsandimpi pallaṅkampi paribhuñjanti. Manussā vihāracārikaṁ āhiṇḍantā passitvā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo āsandimpi pallaṅkampi paribhuñjissanti, seyyathāpi gihiniyo kāmabhoginiyo”ti. Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo āsandimpi pallaṅkampi paribhuñjissantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo āsandimpi pallaṅkampi paribhuñjantī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo āsandimpi pallaṅkampi paribhuñjissanti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

Using luxurious furniture Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, the nuns were using high and luxurious couches. When people walking about the dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized them, “How can nuns use high and luxurious couches? They’re just like householders who indulge in worldly pleasures!” The nuns heard the complaints of those people, and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can nuns do this?” … “Is it true, monks, that nuns do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “How can nuns do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

“Yā pana bhikkhunī āsandiṁ vā pallaṅkaṁ vā paribhuñjeyya, pācittiyan”ti.

Final ruling

‘If a nun uses a high or luxurious couch, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Yā panāti yā yādisā …pe… bhikkhunīti …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti. Āsandī nāma atikkantappamāṇā vuccati. Pallaṅko nāma āharimehi vāḷehi kato hoti. Paribhuñjeyyāti tasmiṁ abhinisīdati vā abhinipajjati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Definitions

A: whoever … Nun: … The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case. A high couch: one that is oversize is what is meant. A luxurious couch: one decorated with images of predatory animals. Uses: if she sits down or lies down on it, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Anāpatti— āsandiyā pāde chinditvā paribhuñjati, pallaṅkassa vāḷe bhinditvā paribhuñjati, ummattikāya, ādikammikāyāti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if she uses a high couch after cutting off the legs; if she uses a luxurious couch after removing the decorations with images of predatory animals; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.